Share Your World (With Me)
by ohsomanystars
Summary: Imogen Drill returns sooner than expected from her Summer holiday, discovering that Constance Hardbroom's magical world is exciting and wishes to learn more about it. [HB/Drill] Please Review.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ****It has been a long time since I have written any form of fiction, and this is my first go at The Worst Witch. I have not watched the show for about 18 or so years, so forgive me if any small details are not accurate. I hope that you enjoy the story, it has been so much fun to write these characters, they are not mine however, they belong to those who created them. The chapter titles are also references to different songs, some relate to the content of the chapter, some merely match the feeling of it. Also, I don't know whether Imogen has family in canon, I just wanted a different reason than 'she ended it with Serge' as why she returned sooner. Enjoy the story. :)  
**

**Chapter 1: Not Alone**

She had meticulously laid out the remaining potion ingredients from her supply. Scanning the ingredients, Constance Hardbroom noted that her pupils had managed to go through quite the substantial amount of Pondweed this past term. At first the answer as to why this was eluded her, it was, after all, a common enough ingredient to be sure, though hardly used in every potion. She briefly considered the issue and then the answer dawned on her: Mildred Hubble. The girl had a rather unique talent of managing to use too much of one ingredient and not enough of another. The chosen ingredient this term was evidently Pondweed. Constance half wondered to herself whether or not she should consider getting extra for the new term, she ultimately decided that she would not waste more energy than necessary on encouraging Mildred's inability to measure correct quantities.

She worked her way down her list of ingredients, checking their numbers and indicating how much more they would need for the new term. Once she had reached the end of her rather extensive list, she began gathering the ingredients and putting them away into their correct storage vessels. As she did this, a rather raucous sound disrupted her peaceful rhythm, she concluded that it appeared to be originating from outside the castle's walls. Constance set down the newt's eyes she had been stowing, and went to investigate.

As she exited the potions lab and closed the distance between her and the sound, she identified it as a vehicle quickly driving away, paired with the sound of saucepans and metal cups clanging together. She sighed. Miss Drill. Constance vaguely recalled Imogen mentioning she would be spending time with family over the summer break, which had clearly gone as well as expected. Constance knew better to avoid such things, they always ended in disaster. The clanging was getting louder and more frantic sounding as the P.E Instructor of Cackle's Academy reached the entrance to the castle. Constance stood, slightly amused, in the doorway observing the source of the disruption walking closer to her.

Imogen had not yet noticed the formidable presence of Constance Hardbroom - she was too distracted by the situation which had just occurred. Muttering and cursing to herself as she approached the entryway, she soon found she could not proceed any further. She'd hit a wall so to speak. It was at this moment she noticed she was not alone. After taking a step back and managing to look up at the 'wall' she had hit, she felt a little self-conscious and embarrassed about the whole thing. The 'wall' she had hit was Miss Hardbroom.

She looked up after a second or two and said, "Do you mind, Miss Hardbroom," indicating that she would very much like her to move so she could get inside.

"Miss Drill," Constance began, "you have returned sooner than expected."

"Yes. As you can clearly tell by my running into you, I have indeed returned early," Imogen answered, desperately wanting to end the conversation, "now Miss Hardbroom, would you kindly move aside so I can get into the castle." She said, desperately trying to maintain some dignity and composure.

"Certainly," Constance replied, moving to the side of Imogen's path.

Slightly annoyed at how easy that was, knowing how much the deputy headmistress enjoyed pushing her buttons, Imogen rushed passed her and headed straight for her room.

Constance returned to the potions lab to finish clearing up. It ended up taking longer than she had anticipated to finish. Upon reaching this realisation, she noted that next time she would schedule more time to complete the task to compensate. Though she did recognise that it was partly due to the commotion caused by Miss Drill's return that delayed her.

Imogen tore off her rucksack and did not care that it hit the floor with force. She sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her face with her hands. She had calmed down slightly, though the events and emotions of the past week were still fresh. In the back of her mind she had suspected it would end badly. Her family were decent people, and they generally meant well, though their approach needed some work.

She had been to visit her sister and her husband for the holidays, knowing her parents would likely make an appearance at some point as she rarely spent time with them these days, due to the nature of her living arrangements and her work. She had prepared herself for the inevitable questions that came with seeing family after an extended period of time, especially if you were a grown single woman.

Her sister was not as particularly athletic as she was, though they both enjoyed camping and outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking. Given their shared enjoyment for the outdoors they had gone on a short camping trip during the week Imogen had managed to spend with her family. It was mostly enjoyable, except for the incessant questions into Imogen's personal life (or lack thereof). While her sister did not yet have children, she was at least (in the words of Imogen's mother) married.

Imogen sighed, getting back to the task of unpacking and getting herself situated back into her life. At least here, at Cackle's, no one seemed to care if you were in a relationship or not, or how long it had been since your last one. Everyone just minded their own business (well, compared to her parents at least). Then there was the delicate subject of her work, and where she worked, and why she couldn't talk about it. Imogen was emotionally exhausted after the week that had just happened. She decided her first step into regaining some normality would be to shower.

Constance would be lying to herself if she said she had not wondered why Imogen's early return had been so dramatic, but she decided that she would wait for Imogen to come to her if she wished to discuss it further. She was not going to push the issue. She would not necessarily refer to the P.E teacher as a friend, but they had been improving lately in that there hadn't been quite as much yelling between them. Constance put it down to them getting used to being around each other more. Constance didn't have friends as such, merely people she had learnt to tolerate, or generally considered not uncomfortable to be around. It had taken many years, but she felt this with Amelia and was slowly beginning to feel this with Imogen. Though they still had a long ways to go. Getting too close to people caused one to be vulnerable, and for Constance, that would be unacceptable.

She had been working on preparing new lessons for the upcoming term when Imogen entered the staff room.

"Miss Hardbroom!" Imogen exclaimed, slightly startled to find her colleague here. Though as soon as she had the thought she realised that of course Constance would be here, and felt stupid for assuming otherwise. The woman practically lived in this room when she was not in the potions lab, or patrolling the halls.

"Hello to you too, Miss Drill."

"Sorry, I was just surprised to see you." Again, feeling slightly stupid for assuming Constance would be anywhere else.

"So it seems," Constance replied, simply.

Imogen sat opposite her colleague, and decided to avoid the elephant in the room of her early return, and asked, "What are you working on?"

"Lesson plans, for next term," she answered, "I plan on instructing the girls more in depth on the usage of dry ingredients versus wet ingredients and their differing effects."

"Sounds interesting," Imogen replied, trying to sound like she knew why that was important and what difference it would actually make. She genuinely wished sometimes that she could understand the finer points of the magical world, but had largely resigned herself to the fact that she likely never would.

"I think so. Knowing your ingredients is extremely important when potion making, Miss Drill," Constance replied. She knew Imogen did not understand the concepts she was planning to teach, but she didn't blame her for it, one doesn't get to choose if their lineage is magical or not.

Their conversation paused, as it had not exactly started with a strong foundation. Imogen used this opportunity to make some tea, she desperately needed some. "Would you like a cup too, Miss Hardbroom?" She asked, placing the black kettle over the flame. Imogen lamented the fact that they still could not accept her idea of getting an electric kettle. Constance replied, "Yes, thank you, Miss Drill," handing her colleague her empty cup.

Once the water eventually boiled, Imogen extinguished the flame beneath the kettle and finished preparing the two cups of tea, and brought them back over to the table. She handed Constance hers first and then sat down herself.

Silence permeated the room, as the two women sat and drank their tea. Imogen finally had enough and said, "Fine. I'll tell you why I'm back early," she said, her voice raised slightly.

She didn't approve of gossip, or hearing about people's personal lives, but Constance had to admit she was curious as to the answer to this question, and had not wanted to push the issue, but if her colleague was offering, she would participate in this conversation. "I did not ask, but if you wish to offer up this information, I will not stop you," she said plainly, sipping her tea.

"You didn't have to ask," Imogen began, Constance was looking directly at her, though Imogen sat with her gaze directed at the cup in front of her, "It started off well enough, the camping trip went well, we swam, hiked, and we relaxed by a gorgeous lake," as she recalled the memory of the scenery, she smiled a little, "the problems really started when my parents arrived. We had returned from our camping trip and my sister had invited our parents over for dinner." Constance sipped her tea, listening to her colleague talk, she knew all too well the dangers of family reunions. "They just would not stop comparing my life to that of my sister's, and asking me questions like, 'Oh Imogen why haven't you found yourself a nice husband yet, hmm? Your sister managed and she's _younger_ than you. _Surely_ there's someone out there for you. You just have to make an effort' as if it's easy!" Imogen was beginning to get more flustered as she recounted the conversation, "When I mentioned Serge, they blamed me for not being able to make it work, and it just went on and on. When it wasn't about my inability to find a husband (as if that's the only option and something I _absolutely need_ to have in my life)," Imogen rolled her eyes, "it was questions about the school and when I couldn't give them the answers they were looking for my sister and her husband tried to defend me, but I had eventually had enough and left early. My sister knows about my work and why I can't talk about it, but I haven't dared broach the subject with my parents. They are better off not knowing."

Constance put down her tea cup and reached out her hand and placed it on Imogen's, comforting her. She knew it was not easy for Imogen to tell her all of that, so she did her best to offer support. Imogen noticed the gesture, "Thanks for listening."

Constance nodded, "It's quite alright, I understand how you feel and appreciate that you felt you could confide in me. I understand I am not the most approachable person in the world, and am not most people's first choice for such occasions."

Imogen smiled at her colleague's words and thought to herself, _'You are to me, Constance Hardbroom.'_ "Thank you," she replied, simply. Showing her appreciation for Constance's words.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Something New **

They sat there for a little longer before Imogen decided she would like to be alone for a while. She needed some time to herself to process her emotions of the past week. She decided she would go for a run to clear her head. She found it was the best way for her to relax and reclaim her sanity after stressful situations.

She exited the school grounds and began her jog through the forest, she thought of her parents' questions and concerns about her life, she thought about her relationship with Serge. It had ended fairly amicably some months ago when they both realised they were both looking for something different than what they had been able to offer up to each other. Jogging along the familiar route, Imogen wondered had she ever really loved Serge or if she was she lying to herself for the convenience of it all. She supposed she felt some affection for him, but he wasn't the person she wished to spend her life with. When she had come to the realisation of who exactly that someone was, she knew even more that she couldn't keep leading Serge on. He hadn't been surprised at Imogen's words, he too had felt as if they were drifting apart, through no fault of their own, they just didn't fit with each other.

Imogen veered off to the left, circling back towards the castle. It was getting late and she supposed Constance would be wondering what had become of her if she stayed out for too much longer. The Summer nights were still long, though the forest was dense and was quickly covered in darkness before the outside world was.

When she arrived back at the castle, she walked past the potions lab and noticed Constance was in there brewing a potion. She paused near the open door (since there was nobody else in the castle, Constance had little reason to close the door) and observed her colleague. She was constantly impressed at Constance's prowess when it came to potion making. The woman was gifted and skilled at her craft. Imogen could see the concentration on her face as she made sure to place the exact quantity of the ingredient she needed into the cauldron in front of her. Constance dropped the herb carefully into the mixture and began to stir it. Imogen could not see from her vantage point but the liquid had slowly begun to change from a dull grey-blue to a brilliant and clear royal blue. Indicating that the potion had been made perfectly.

Imogen continued to observe the masterful woman work, she did not know for sure if Constance knew she was watching her, though nothing got passed her, so she assumed she was keenly aware that she had an audience. Constance began to pour the deep blue liquid carefully into individual phials and sealed them with cork stoppers. The phials were an elongated teardrop shape and were quite beautiful themselves. Imogen's prior suspicions that her presence was known were confirmed when Constance turned to face her and said, "You can come in you know, I'm not going to banish you or anything." Imogen smiled at her colleagues use of humour. She enjoyed it whenever Constance exercised that side of her.

She entered the room and stood opposite Constance, on the other side of the bench. Constance continued to bottle her potion and placed the phials onto a rack made for their storage, similar to the way test tubes were stored. Imogen watched as she continued, and was quite mesmerised by the process, and the skill level at which it was being done.

"What kind of potion have you been making?" Imogen asked, still watching Constance's rhythmic movements as she bottled the last few potions.

"It is a potion to assist with sleep," Constance replied, "it allows the drinker a dreamless peaceful rest."

Imogen considered her words carefully, she did not wish to anger Constance by overstepping any bounds, after all she knew of her colleague's sleeping patterns, "Are you making it for," she paused, considering whether or not to add 'yourself' to the end of her sentence, Constance sensed her trepidation and answered, "Yes, it is for myself. I have difficulty sleeping and this potion assists me to rest."

"I see," Imogen replied, fearing that she would make the conversation more awkward, she added, "is it common practice for witches to take potions like that?" Before Constance could reply, she added, "I suppose it's like non-witches taking sleeping tablets or other medication to help with insomnia or anxiety."

"I do not know much about the non-magical world, but yes, from what you have told me, I assume it is similar." Constance answered, her voice quite soft, indicating to Imogen that she was hesitant about continuing this line of discussion. She was not mad at Imogen for asking, after all, she had left the door open and invited her in, it was only natural for her to wonder what type of potion she was brewing.

Imogen sensed Constance's wish to change the subject and asked, "Can you teach me about potion making?" She asked, unsure of what the reaction would be. Constance was inwardly touched that someone was interested in being taught by her no one had directly expressed this to her before, and outwardly her expression became softer and lighter showing her approval for such a request. "Of course, Miss Drill, what would you like to know?" She asked, placing the last phial onto the rack.

"I don't know, really, I know next to nothing about how it all works." She admitted.

"I suppose the nearest equivalent in your vernacular would be that it is not unlike Chemistry, and in a way not dissimilar to cooking. Each ingredient changes elements of the potion, whether that is as simple as changing the colour or altering the strength of the potion, or the efficacy of it. Each ingredient matters, as does the quantity. It is highly crucial to ensure these are correct. The amount of potion used on an object or ingested by the drinker also is of high importance." In Constance's answer, Imogen recognised a passion for her craft, and for sharing that passion with others. She could see why Constance had chosen the profession she had.

"I truly had no idea it was that intricate," Imogen answered, looking at all of the ingredients Constance had in front of her still.

"Indeed, it is not as simple as it would appear," Constance replied, "It takes practice and precision to perfect." She gathered up the remaining ingredients and placed them back into the cupboard they were stored in, after she had done so, she asked, "Imogen," it did not go unnoticed that Constance had used her first name, "would you be interested in accompanying me to collect more potion ingredients? I am in need of more, and this time in the evening is ideal for collecting what I need."

Imogen wondered what specifically she had done to be deserving of this chance, and figured she should definitely find out what it was so she could do it again. Constance Hardbroom, wanted her to accompany her into the forest to collect ingredients. A task she could absolutely do on her own as she was a strong, powerful, formidable, intelligent, attractive…Imogen got sidetracked and decided to halt her thought process there and replied, "Of course, Con-Miss Hardbroom," she corrected herself, to not get too carried away at the fact that she had called her Imogen, "I'd be happy to."

Constance nodded, and went to collect a basket to put all of the ingredients in, "I will return momentarily, Miss Drill," she said, leaving the P.E teacher alone in the potions lab.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I hope the pacing feels right, I thought about it a lot and wanted it to seem like it flowed naturally. I hope you enjoy. :)_

**Chapter 3: Dancing On The Moon/ I Got Love**

It only took a minute or so for Constance to return, "Let's be off, we can't miss our chance."

"Miss our chance?" Imogen questioned.

"Collecting potion ingredients can be fickle, Miss Drill, it is important it is done at exactly the right moment." Constance answered, preparing her broom by commanding it to hover and hanging the basket off the end. "Come now," she added, gesturing for Imogen to join her.

"We're travelling by broomstick?" Imogen asked, stupidly assuming they would be walking.

"Of course, how else did you expect we would be travelling?" Constance replied, a slight glint of amusement in her voice, though noting Imogen's genuine innocence in this matter, and to appease her slightly, she added, "It is simply too far to walk, so we will fly."

Imogen knew that even if it was two hundred metres down the road, Constance would still have chosen flying over walking, but she thought it was cute of her to make it seem like she would have walked if their destination had been closer. She walked over to Constance and sat behind her, and placed her arms firmly around her waist to secure herself. She had not had the privilege of riding a broomstick before, and was both extremely nervous and extremely excited at the prospect. Within seconds of Imogen securing herself, they began to rise and fly high above the castle. Imogen trusted Constance implicitly, and had no fear of what they were doing, it was an incredible adrenaline rush. "The area where we are wanting to land is just beyond that lake over there," Constance said, pointing out the lake over to their far left. Aware of how much Imogen was enjoying their flight, she took a slight detour and flew higher, closer to where the moon shone. "It's beautiful!" Imogen exclaimed, feeling like she could reach out and touch it. Constance smiled to herself, she was beginning to feel very pleased that Imogen's holiday had been cut short. She was feeling herself become more attached to her colleague, having someone to share the wonders of her world with was something new that she was beginning to enjoy. "We mustn't get distracted," She said, correcting their course towards the lake.

It took only a few moments for them to arrive at the area where the potion ingredients could be found. Constance brought them down gently and Imogen, still coming off her adrenaline rush, was a little wobbly when she first set foot on the ground again. It took her a moment to regain her footing. Constance had already began walking over to the area she needed to go, and gestured to Imogen for her to join her. As she kneeled down to pick up the plant she needed, she explained to Imogen the correct way to pick it, and what to look for to know if it was a good enough specimen. She went on to explain why certain ingredients needed to be picked at certain times of the day, remarking that there were some cases where the timing had to be so exact that waiting a mere second too long or collecting the ingredient too soon would render the potion useless. Imogen was fascinated by Constance's knowledge, she wondered why the girls were not more attentive and fascinated by potion making. She figured that this was relatively commonplace to them, and they didn't realise that it could be special to someone who didn't natively understand how the magical world worked. She did suspect though, that Constance was not usually this gentle and patient with whoever she was telling this information to, and that was likely what made the girls less attentive or interested. She felt incredibly lucky that she was privileged to this softer, more gentle side of Constance, a side of her that was pure passion for her subject, and loved to share her knowledge, without having to discipline someone every five seconds. As Imogen was thinking all of this, Constance had continued talking about the temperature of the lake water, and how it affected the potion it was used in, Imogen had not really been listening, but smiled at her companion and nodded to make it seem like she had been.

"It is a lovely evening, isn't it, Constance," Imogen, not immediately realising that she had used her colleague's first name. Constance didn't react to the use of her first name, she simply answered, "Yes, indeed it is. Perhaps it is not only the night sky or the breeze, perhaps it is also the company." Imogen smiled, "Indeed, perhaps it is." Daring to hope that her affections towards her colleague were not misguided. She knew it was far too early to tell, and one evening of relatively kind words did not confirm anything. They walked back over to where they had left Constance's broomstick, which was continuing to hover at just the right height for both of them to easily sit back on it. Constance was meticulous in every way.

The flight back was as exhilarating as the flight over to the lake, Imogen was struck yet again by the beauty of the sky, and appreciated the new perspective of seeing the earth, so small, below her. It didn't take much time for them to return to Cackle's, upon their arrival they went back to the potion lab so that Constance could store the potion ingredients they had collected. Now that they were back in the castle (and on the ground) Imogen began to notice the time. She hadn't eaten anything since returning, and it was beginning to get late. She didn't know about Constance, but she was feeling hungry. When Constance had finished stowing all of the ingredients, Imogen decided to pose the question of dinner, "It's getting late, should we eat something?"

Constance turned to face her colleague, "Yes, indeed, we should. Mrs Tapioca prepared meals for me before she left, I'm sure there will be enough for the both of us."

So she did spend her summers here all alone, Imogen had suspected such a thing, but had not wanted to bring it up, simply because she didn't know how to approach Constance's personal life. "That sounds wonderful, shall we head down to the kitchen?" Imogen asked, hoping Mrs Tapioca had prepared something delicious, and not at Constance's usual standard of 'plain'. When they arrived in the kitchen, Constance found the soup Mrs Tapioca had left for her and lit the stove so it could be re-heated. She didn't fancy herself a cook, but she could at least re-heat food. She had considered conjuring up some food for herself and Imogen, but she found that food created by using magic did not taste as good. Mrs Tapioca often said it was because the 'love' was missing, and refused to use magic in her kitchen. Once the soup had been sufficiently re-heated, Constance served it up and they sat in the candlelight and ate.

"This is delicious!" Imogen exclaimed, "Mrs Tapioca has been holding out on us." "It does taste quite good, you're right," Constance replied, "Mrs Tapioca is quite talented when given the chance."

"It was fun this evening, going with you to collect potion ingredients. I enjoyed hearing you talk about the whole process," Imogen said, attempting to start up a conversation.

"I am pleased you enjoyed it, Imogen, it is not often I get the chance to share these things with people," Constance replied, taking a spoonful of soup.

"You mean people who you don't have to make pay attention," Imogen added.

Constance smirked, "Quite right, Imogen." She had resigned herself to using her companion's first name, she had not consciously noticed how comfortable she had become to feel with the other woman, but it was clear she was, "Thank you for being an attentive pupil, it makes for a nice chance." Constance added, playfully.

"Oh, so I'm your pupil now?" Imogen teased.

"I was merely making a joke, I am capable of humour occasionally," Constance replied, she really did possess a fantastic dry sense of humour, she just usually did not feel it was appropriate to use it.

"And I love it, I wish you would use it more," Imogen answered, taking a spoonful of soup, half aware she was flirting with her companion.

"Do you now?" Constance replied, with a slight smile on her face.

Imogen suddenly felt self-conscious and decided to change the subject and just ask what she had been wondering this whole evening, "Is this how you usually spend your holidays? Here at the castle by yourself?" She was curious and concerned for Constance. Being alone with yourself for this much time would surely drive a person crazy, especially if you had the depth of emotional experience that Constance had throughout her life.

"I do," Constance replied simply, "is that a problem?"

"No, it's not. I'm not going to judge you, I'm merely curious as to how you like to spend your time. I would have thought though that you would like to have a change of scenery and distance yourself from your everyday surroundings when you have the chance to," Imogen explained.

"I do not have anywhere to go. Cackle's is where I feel most comfortable, so I stay here," Constance replied. "The castle is also quite a peaceful place without the noise of students everywhere," she added.

"I can understand that, but doesn't it get lonely?" Imogen asked, trying not to overstep her bounds, she didn't want to make Constance feel uncomfortable, or make her feel as if she was being interrogated.

Constance took another spoonful of soup and contemplated Imogen's question, "I won't lie to you, Imogen, yes, sometimes it is lonely," she admitted. She then became keenly aware of what she was saying, to divert the subject a little she added, "However I do manage to keep myself occupied with my work and study so it is not that big of a concern. Morgana also lessens the loneliness in a way, having an animal around helps."

"You know, Constance," Imogen began, taking her companion's hands in hers, "you can talk to me about anything. I won't run away, and I think deep down you know that. I'm here for you, if you want me to be."

Constance could see the friendship and care in Imogen's eyes. She appreciated the gesture, though she was still hesitant, as her instinct was to run away from any emotional attachment as fast as she could. She was afraid of how quickly this burgeoning relationship with Imogen was progressing. It was not all together unfamiliar to her, though it had been a while since she had someone who she could truly call a friend on this level. Though she was afraid, she decided she would give it a chance and see where whatever this was would lead, "I…," She hesitated briefly before continuing, "I choose to spend my time alone because rarely in my life have I known someone whom I could trust enough to not turn on me. My emotions and ability to trust people were trampled and squashed during my time under Mistress Broomhead's tutelage…" She paused for a few seconds, "It is not easy for me to tell you this, Imogen, but I believe I trust you."

Imogen knew she was only scratching the surface of the reality of Constance's youth. She knew enough to be able to read between the lines and connect everything together. She felt honoured that Constance felt she could trust her, she did not want to betray that trust, "I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't feel comfortable doing, Constance. For what it's worth, I trust you also."

"It seems I have underestimated you in the past, Imogen Drill," Constance replied.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good," Constance said, a little perplexed at how it could be taken any other way, "that is how I meant it."

Imogen smiled.

"Imogen, I have some reading to do in the library, would you care to join me," Constance asked, standing up and clearing their bowls.

"Of course, let's clean up here and head over there," Imogen said, helping her clean off the dishes.

\- - -  
Once they reached the library constance illuminated the candles with a flick of her fingers. Imogen was still so in awe of her magical abilities. Constance went over to one of the bookshelves and selected the book she was after, and walked over to the chairs and sat down. Imogen selected her own book and joined her almost immediately. They sat silent in the flickering candlelight for a while, occasionally Imogen looked up from her book to observe Constance. There were not many cases where one would be permitted to study her in this manner, the warm candlelight on her face softening her features. Imogen was quite taken aback by her companion's beauty. Not many people got the opportunity to see it, as Constance's stern exterior acted as a protective barrier to any vulnerability. _'She really is stunning,'_ Imogen thought, almost saying it aloud, so lost in her thoughts.

Imogen wasn't the only one studying her companion, Constance too had been observing the woman before her. The more she studied her, the more beautiful she became. The candlelight flickering against her golden hair and skin. She put her book down, deciding to stop with the charade of hiding behind it. Imogen noticed, she had been paying attention to Constance the whole time and had noticed her staring.

"Imogen," Constance said, softly, "thank you."

Imogen did not need to ask for what, she recognised that their conversation in the kitchen meant a lot to Constance, and she understood that it was hard for her to say what she did, " I trust you, and I thank you for sharing it with me. You are an incredible woman, Constance Hardbroom."

Constance stood up and walked over to the couch Imogen was sat on. They were both keenly aware of everything happening.

Constance decided she didn't need words, and brushed her finger on the side of Imogen's face, taking it in, and kissed her softly and slowly at first. Imogen responded, feeling a spark of magical energy flow through her as she did. It startled her a little, but Constance's grin let her know it was okay. "There is a lot of magic inside me, Imogen, do not be afraid." Imogen started to kiss her again, but before she had time to think about it too much she realised Constance was leaning into her making her lay down on the couch. Looking down at her companion, Constance began to remove Imogen's shirt. Once it was off, she kissed her, and as she did so she reached around to undo her bra. She could not believe the beauty of the women before her, how had she got this lucky. Imogen smiled up at her companion and began to undo the plethora of buttons on Constance's dress. Constance tensed up slightly, she had not thought it through enough that Imogen would see the body beneath her clothes. She felt self conscious about pretty much every aspect of her body, as she felt it was oddly shaped in some places, too pale in others, and then there were the scars caused by the dark parts of her past, and she did not know if she was ready for someone else to see that part of her. Imogen sensed her insecurity as she undid the last of the buttons and slid the dress off her body, "It's ok, Constance, really, you're so beautiful." She looked into her eyes, showing her it was okay, and then undid her bra dropping it onto the floor. Constance nodded, to show Imogen she trusted her, she was bare, showing a part of herself very few people had been allowed to witness. Constance lent down peppering kisses over Imogen's breasts and up her collar bone and neck, as she did this Imogen began to take off her track pants, not wanting Constance to be the only one without any clothes on.

They continued to explore each other throughout the night, becoming increasingly passionate, releasing all of the pent up tension they had been holding onto for so long. At some point they decided it would be more comfortable to continue their activities in the comfort of Constance's chamber, so she transported them directly there.

_A/N: I'm adding this at the end, as to not spoil it before it happens, I love the idea that Constance is able to impart some of her magical energy when she kisses someone, it's an idea I've seen in quite a few other stories and wanted to incorporate it into this one._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Love Me The Same**

Constance felt a certain sense of surprise when she woke up and saw Imogen still laying in the bed asleep next to her. She wondered if she had imagined the whole thing, but somehow she was still there. She wondered how Imogen felt. Was she okay? Did she think they would continue whatever this was? Constance was considering every possibility. The more she thought about it the more it scared her. _'Calm down Hardbroom, you can handle this,'_ she thought to herself. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes again. _'It will be all right,'_ she thought, trying to reassure herself however she did not quite believe it.

Constance took a sip of her tea, still contemplating the events of the previous day. She had quietly left her chambers and made her way to the staff room. She felt comfortable here, and the silence helped her think and allowed her to process her thoughts. She knew everything would be different from now on, they couldn't just go back to how they were before, could they? Did she want that? How did Imogen feel about everything? As she sat, drinking her tea, she heard someone walking towards the staff room, it had to be Imogen. She couldn't avoid her forever.

"I thought I'd find you here," Imogen said, siting in the chair opposite Constance.

Constance nodded, acknowledging that Imogen had entered the room, and took another sip of her tea.

"Are you okay, Constance?"

"I am fine, Imogen. I needed some time to think," she replied, softly, "it has been a long time since something like this has happened to me."

"I understand," Imogen reassured her.

"I don't know that you do, Imogen. Our lives are very different, we have experienced things in a vastly different manner. I do not get close to people, people do not get close to me. It is very foreign to me, it has been for some time," Constance noticed Imogen's expression change, as if she was about to get angry. She wondered if she had phrased her words properly, so she added, "I am not angry Imogen, and I do not regret what we have started, however as I said, I need time."

"Do you want me to stay here, or do you want to be alone?" Imogen asked, "I don't want you to feel like you have to run from this, Constance. I know you think people don't like you or that they don't want to get close to you, but I am not just anyone, this relationship is for both of us. I care about you, and I don't want to see you punish yourself over this, we can work it out _together_. We don't have all the answers yet, it is only the beginning."

"Imogen," she took a few seconds before she continued, "thank you."

Their day continued on, Imogen had gone for a run as she had needed some fresh air. She knew that pursuing a relationship with Constance Hardbroom would be a difficult challenge, and she realised everything would not change overnight. She felt hopeful that they would be able to make it work, she was all in on this relationship and would give it every chance it deserved. They both deserved to be happy, after all.

Constance turned her attention to her work, she set herself up in the potions lab and decided to prepare some lessons for the coming term. Working was the best way she could think of to organise and collect her thoughts. She had worked through creating lessons for a full week before she decided she needed to go and find Imogen, as she worked she became aware of the fact that she was alone and craved the companionship Imogen gave her. She packed up her things and set off to find her. She searched the castle and came up empty handed, she concluded Imogen must have gone for a run. Constance didn't know much about relaxing, and certainly couldn't understand how physical activities such as running would help one relax. She thought back to the time at the lake when Miss Cackle had forced her into relaxing, "…and we all know how that ended," she finished her thought out loud. She decided she would try use her magic to locate Imogen.

It wasn't long before she discovered where she had jogged to. She was at the nearby lake, where they had gone to collect the potion ingredients yesterday. Constance was glad she made them use her broomstick the first time, she would not have enjoyed walking.

She noticed Imogen sitting on the bank of the lake, and walked over to her, "Imogen, do you mind if I join you," she asked.

"Of course not, Constance," Imogen replied, gesturing for her to sit next to her, "I wondered if you would come and find me."

"I missed you," she admitted.

"Oh, you did, did you? I'm touched." Imogen replied, attempting to keep the mood light.

"I realised I cannot be without you for too long," Constance began, considering her words carefully, "I think, Imogen, that… I can do this."

Imogen got up from where she was sitting and knelt down in front of Constance, she smiled, and kissed her warmly on the lips. This reassured Constance and she kissed her back.

"Imogen Drill, you will be the death of me you know," Constance replied, with a grin on her face.

They sat and admired the lake for a while longer. _'Maybe this is what being relaxed feels like,'_ Constance thought. Imogen sat next to her and took her hand in her own.

"This lake is beautiful in the evening isn't it," Imogen said, breaking the silence.

"I often come here to think, when I need to be alone," Constance added, looking out across the water, the fading sun's light making the water sparkle.

"Do people ever swim in the lake?" Imogen asked, "It's a nice spot, I bet it would be fun."

"Perhaps, people who swim do," Constance replied, a little confused as to why one would want to do such a thing.

"I take it you're not a fan then," Imogen replied.

Constance gave Imogen a look that said in no uncertain terms that no she was not and no she would not care to put even one toe in that water.

"Oh come on, Constance, it's not that bad! Have you even given it a try? The water is crystal clear, you can see the bottom." She was going to make this happen, whether Constance liked it or not, just to prove a point to her that nature could be enjoyable. She then took it a step further and began taking off her running gear.

"You must be mad!"

"There's no one around, it'll be fine!"

Constance's eyes got wider, "Absolutely _not_ Imogen."

Imogen was now completely nude, as she walked down into the water she said, "Look I'll get in first, how's that?"

The indignity of it all, Constance's prudish side was out in full force at this point. She could not imagine how Imogen thought she would be successful in this matter.

Imogen was now nearly fully submerged in the water, with just her head above it. "It's fine Constance, come join me, you'll love it. I'll even hold your hand." She said, trying to bait her into coming in.

Constance had to admit that the fading sun's light made Imogen look stunning, coupled with the now subtle shine on the water's surface. It was nearly enough, nearly, but not quite.

Imogen swam further up to the edge and began to walk up the bank, towards Constance. She came over to her, dripping wet, the water glistening on her skin, kissed her and walked back down to the lake.

_Damn her._

She gave in. She magicked her clothes off the transported herself directly into the water next to Imogen, "Happy?"

"Very," Imogen replied smugly, putting her arms around Constance's neck.

Constance laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, "I cannot believe you made me do this."

"You don't look like you hate it."

"Only, and I mean this wholeheartedly Imogen, _only_ because it is you I am doing it with."

Imogen laughed, she was going to savour every second of this moment because she knew it would never happen again.

_A/N: I had the scene at the lake in my head since I started this story, I really wanted to put Constance in a situation where she would be absolutely mortified and Imogen would love every second of it. It was fun to write. I hope you enjoyed it. 3 Thanks to all who are reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Everyday Love**

The rest of the summer passed, Constance and Imogen developed a routine, they became comfortable. They knew it would be over soon, Miss Cackle and Miss Bat were due back tomorrow, a couple of days before the girls. They had willingly avoided addressing the question of would they tell anyone about their relationship for a long time, but eventually it had come time to answer it.

They were sitting in the staff room, Imogen was reading a camping magazine and Constance was preparing a lesson plan for the new group of first years that would be soon arriving. Imogen got up and made some tea for the two of them.

Imogen looked at her watch, "Miss Cackle will be back tomorrow. What should we tell her?"

Constance turned to face her, "Must we tell her anything?"

"Surely she would find out, isn't it better if we tell her first?"

"She doesn't need to know," Constance decided.

"Constance, I don't want to tiptoe around the headmistress, it will end up stressing us both out far more than I wish to put up with," Imogen countered.

"You have a point, I simply do not enjoy sharing details of my personal life. The idea that I would is new to me."

"I think it's safer in the end, Constance."

"Very well, we shall try it your way," Constance conceded, while she was very capable of suppressing her emotions around her colleagues, she knew it would not be so easy for Imogen. She wanted to make this as easy as she could for her.

"Thank you. Would you like me to tell her, or would you prefer to do it?" Imogen asked.

"I rather think we should both be there," Constance replied, "though if you prefer I can tell her."

"Either way it will be uncomfortable," Imogen said, not sure of which way she wanted to approach it, "but I think we should both be there. However, in the mean time, we should make the most of the fact that we are still alone."

"What did you have in mind, dare I ask?" Constance asked, knowing full well what Imogen was suggesting. "Not here, let's go somewhere more comfortable."

"You are wicked, Imogen Drill."

"And you love it."

Within seconds of Imogen's words leaving her mouth, Constance wrapped her arms around her and transported them up to her room. Imogen noticed the intensity of Constance's magic flowing through her as she kissed her, of this she would never tire, the feeling was exhilarating and she was so glad she was the one who got to experience it.

\- - -  
Miss Cackle's return journey to the castle was without consequence. The dense forest that surrounded the area came into view and she felt it was like greeting an old friend or wrapping yourself in a blanket on a cold winter's day. It was comforting; it was home. She expected that Constance would be ready to greet her at the castle's gates as she always did. She remembered Davina was due back later in the day, _'and what of Imogen?'_ She thought. She knew she had been spending some time with her sister and her family, she knew all too well how that could end up. She hoped her staff had had a restful holiday, they all deserved a break. Her own holiday had been filled with delicious cakes, and afternoon teas, coupled with family visits and spending some time relaxing. She knew that would be short-lived once she returned to the Academy, the start of the year was always a hectic time, especially with the arrival of new students. There was a lot to sort out. She surmised Constance would have taken care of it all though, she usually had by the time Miss Cackle returned. Constance was like clockwork, precise and reliable.

Miss Cackle made her way down to the castle's entrance, and was surprised to find no Constance, "My, that is odd. I wonder what she is up to then?" Miss Cackle said aloud. It was most unlike Constance.

Constance woke suddenly, she became acutely aware of the time, Miss Cackle would surely be on her way back by now. Imogen could see she was distracted, "What is it Constance?" she asked sleepily.

"Miss Cackle," Constance replied, sitting up.

"What? What about her?" Imogen asked, still not quite awake.

"Imogen! Wake up for goodness sake, Miss Cackle will be back momentarily, I must be down there to greet her," Constance said, hurriedly getting out of bed and scanning the room for her clothes. Imogen sat up to observe the scene in front of her: Constant frantically (but quite methodically, she thought), getting herself in a presentable state. Imogen felt it was endearing to see Constance's dedication to her routine. She smiled and began to get herself dressed also, she knew that she could not stay hidden from Miss Cackle for too long.

When Constance had organised herself, she quickly vanished herself with the intention of meeting Miss Cackle at the gate, the moment after she vanished she felt as if she had forgotten something so she quickly reappeared in her room, and went over to kiss Imogen.

"Thank you, I was beginning to feel left out," Imogen said.

"I really must go now, be sure to come down when you are ready so we can talk to Miss Cackle," Constance had it all sorted.

"Oh, so soon?"

"Imogen, I do not wish to draw this out longer than need be," Constance replied, and quickly vanished before Imogen could reply.

Down at the castle's entrance Constance appeared. _'I suppose I shouldn't have doubted her,'_ Miss Cackle thought. "Miss Hardbroom, how nice to see you," She said, smiling.

"Welcome back Miss Cackle, I trust you had a pleasant holiday."

"I did indeed, I am sad to see it end," Miss Cackle replied, walking into the castle. She was headed for the staff room so she could put down her luggage. Constance diligently followed. "I take it Davina isn't back yet?"

"No, Miss Cackle, she hasn't returned as yet," Constance replied.

Miss Cackle noted Imogen's camping magazine, open and on the chair she usually sat in, "Am I right in thinking Imogen has returned, or have you suddenly developed an interest in the outdoors?"

"You are correct Miss Cackle," Constance replied, immediately adding (as to not imply she had developed an interest in the outdoors), "Im-,Miss Drill has returned, she arrived yesterday."

"Where is she?" Ignoring Constance's rather uncharacteristic stumbling of her words.

Before she could answer, Imogen entered the room and greeted Miss Cackle, "Welcome back, it's good to see you, you look rested."

"Imogen, how nice to see you," Miss Cackle said, turning her attention to the P.E teacher, "would you care for some tea, dear, I am about to make a pot."

"Please," Imogen replied, walking over to Constance.

Miss Cackle noticed Imogen's movement, she didn't think too much of it, though it did strike her as a little strange. She dismissed the thought from her mind and focused on preparing their tea.

She placed the three cups down in front of their respective drinkers and sat down herself.

"Did you both have a pleasant holiday," she asked, sipping her tea.

Imogen and Constance looked at each other, Imogen could not surprise her smile, Constance was attempting to hide her smile, but overall not doing too well at it, "Yes, we did, thank you for asking," Imogen replied.

"Good to hear," Miss Cackle replied, sensing there was something happening here, "Constance was telling me you arrived back yesterday, Imogen."

Imogen turned to Constance, "Yes, that's right," she said, trying to sustain Constance's story.

Avoiding the subject was not working for Constance, small talk really was not her forte, "Miss Cackle, I simply cannot keep this charade going any longer. Imogen returned early from her holiday, quite early in fact," She began, Miss Cackle was quite confused as to what was happening, "and well, we, you see, we've become quite, well-"

Whilst Imogen found this stumbling-for-words side of Constance extremely endearing, she felt like she could add some clarity to the situation, "Miss Cackle, what Constance is trying to say is that we have become quite close over the summer, and have started a quite comfortable relationship," she said taking Constance's hand in her own to offer some support.

Miss Cackle studied them both for a moment, processing Imogen's words, and then it dawned on her what Imogen was trying to say, "Oh! I see," she said with an element of surprise, "well, that is unexpected, but I am happy for you both. I certainly didn't expect the summer to bring two of my teachers together."

"It sort of just happened," Imogen added, "we don't really need to go into details or anything, but we wanted to let you know that we are happy, and we hope you will allow us to keep pursuing this relationship."

"I'm glad to hear it," Miss Cackle replied, she knew Constance was a good person beneath her harsh exterior, and she was more than a little impressed that Imogen had managed to get past that and be allowed in, and in such a short time, "as far as continuing this relationship, as long as you both remain professional and do not let it interfere with your work then I see no problem with it."

"Certainly, Miss Cackle," Constance finally spoke.

"I am pleased to hear that Constance, the last thing I need is students gossiping about their teachers' personal lives," Miss Cackle replied.

"Of course, Miss Cackle," Imogen added, reassuring her that she was on the same page, "thank you."

Miss Cackle had left to start unpacking, and Imogen and Constance were left alone in the staff room again, "Well that went well," Imogen said, breaking the silence, "she approves of us."

"She does, I am pleased, it is a weight off my shoulders," Constance added.

Imogen turned to face her lover, she took her hands in her own and kissed her gently.

"We will need to be careful, Imogen, of doing that, I don't know how easy it will be, though. If you keep teasing me like this," Constance said, with a smile.

"Oh, I know, you think it's easy for me? Knowing how your magic surging through me feels? It's a wonder I can contain myself at all," Imogen added, kissing Constance again.

Constance smiled proudly, "Now that I know the effect I have on you, my dear Imogen, I imagine it will be even harder to resist you."

They were so lost in themselves they didn't notice Miss Cackle standing in the doorway, she didn't want to interrupt them so she carefully turned back and let them be, 'They certainly do seem happy together,' she thought. She really could not recall a time she had seen Constance so happy, Imogen would be good for her it seemed.

-

_This feels like a good stopping point I think, I didn't want to draw it out for the sake of it, so I hope everyone reading has enjoyed the story. 3_


End file.
